While animal husbandry and farming remain a part of the program,
there also are components focusing on plants, floriculture,
leadership and public speaking.

To increase those types of opportunities at the Menifee campus,
construction is expected to start next month on an Agricultural
Research Center.

At a cost of $4.5 million, the facility is being paid for with a
$2.25 million state grant and district school facilities money.

The center will be built on 2.5 acres at the northwest corner of
the school along Highway 74. The hope is for it to open by January
2012.

A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for Dec. 16.

If not for the state money, which was earmarked for agricultural
programs, the Perris Union High School District would not have been
able to afford the facility, Heritage Principal Julie Zierold
said.

"We're lucky we were able to pay for it through grant money,"
Zierold said.

The project will include a 6,561-square-foot building that will
house two animal science laboratories and a research
laboratory.

There also will be a greenhouse, shade house, rabbit barn and
egg-laying barn. Open-air laboratory facilities will include
pastures and orchards as well as livestock breeding and growing
areas.

"(The project) means we will have a state of the art laboratory
and land labs where kids will actually produce what they learn by
theory in class," lead agriculture teacher Chris Maddalena
said.

There were 200 agriculture students when Maddalena started the
program in one classroom when the school opened in 2007. Currently,
there are 617.

One of those is senior Janette Sanchez, who said that, even
though she will graduate before the facility is completed, she is
excited.

"I remember being here when there was nothing," said Sanchez,
17. "I definitely want to see how it progresses. Being able to have
that technology will be super-beneficial for students coming
in."

With construction near, the agriculture students have had to
move their animals off campus. The parents of a former student are
allowing the animals to stay at their nearby ranch.

Pigs, goats, sheep and turkeys are among the animals the
students raise.

Seth Brummel, a 17-year-old junior, said he is looking forward
to being able to raise more types of animals, such as steers, dairy
cattle and rabbits.

"I want to be able to do a bunch of different stuff that wasn't
offered before," he said.

Zierold said the facility will give Heritage students
experiences unavailable at many other schools.

"It's another amazing opportunity for kids to have access to
things not usually seen in high school," Zierold said. "The
real-life applications are probably the most important things to
students. It's what's real to kids."

Sanchez, president of the school's agriculture club, said
hands-on learning is essential.

"It's easy to read it in a book; it's different to see it
yourself," Sanchez said. "It's really neat to be able to experience
these things, not just learn it. It really helps build your
character."